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California's Haunted Central Coast - Evie Ybarra

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INTRODUCTION

California’s Central Coast boasts perfect weather and a beautiful coastline, and the historical significance of the entire area is unparalleled. The beautiful California missions have stories to tell, as do the famous landmarks and unique tourist spots. The Channel Islands are a gem we take seriously, and we work so hard to protect the flora and fauna of the area, as well as the Natural Preserves and marine life on the islands.

Since the beginning of time, man has been very curious about supernatural beings and events. When the Aztecs first met Hernán Cortés, they thought he was a god—his coming was foretold by the priests, and Moctezuma expected this god from the east. The Náhuatl people thought the Spaniards were supernatural because they had horses (which they considered large beasts) as well as heavy artillery and cannons. The various populations of the Mesoamerican world, which included the Mayans and the Toltecs, also were mesmerized by the power of these new people. Dr. Maria Herrera Sobek explains Mexican/Chicano folklore in her book Chicano Folklore: A Handbook, which is a comprehensive explanation of what folklore is all about. She explained, [There are] numerous folklore genres such as myths, folktales, legends, jests, folksongs, folk theater, traditional customs, folk beliefs, medicine, festivals, folk celebrations, children’s songs, and games and riddles.

Dr. Sobek also mentioned the importance of culinary traditions (tamales, chocolate, mole and more) and arts and crafts, as well as architecture, dance and costumes of the culture. This folklore can be applied cross-culturally and includes all world cultures. There is a universal thread of continuity that runs the gamut for all populations.

This book weaves stories with local history. Many of these come from oral traditions and have been passed down from generation to generation. Superstitions abound in many cultures, and included here are the superstitions about mirrors and the Ouija board. La Llorona is part of this tapestry as well, as her cries have been heard by many and her apparition has been seen often. Some of these events do not have logical explanations, and there are many skeptics out there who are not convinced that ghosts or apparitions exist until they see one for themselves. Fairies are another set of creatures that many people accept as real. Some claim to have seen them. The Irish legend of the banshee is a tale similar to La Llorona in that both bring a foretelling of death for those who hear the wailing and laments. The Irish legend speaks of the fairy woman who wails a lament, singing it when a family member dies or is about to die, even if the person lives a great distance away. The family will not have received the news of their loved yet, but when they hear the banshee’s wail, that is the first warning sign of a death in the household.

As for La Llorona, in Mexican, Latino and Chicano culture mothers warn their children to behave and not to go out alone at night because La Llorona will take them. If they hear her cries, they must escape quickly, for if they see her, they may meet an early death. According to legend, she has the face of a skeleton and deep, empty eye sockets with which she can hypnotize her subjects. Her wet hair is long, black and stringy from the river or lake from which she came. She is seen as a figure dressed in white. Be wary when you go out in the dark and there is light by the full moon, as La Llorona is certainly out there searching for her murdered children.

Hearst Castle is also full of secrets, and it is a beautiful place to visit. You may indeed meet one of the famous guests from the Golden Age of Hollywood, as many were invited to William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies’s lavish parties there.

Enjoy your read and have a safe ghost-hunting session if you decide to search for any of these spirits. They may find you first!

MONTECITO DEBRIS AND MUD FLOW CREATED A PATH OF DESTRUCTION

After the January 9, 2018 debris flow hit Montecito, California, the path of destruction left twenty-three people dead, and two of those are presumed dead because their bodies were never recovered. Everyone in Montecito, Santa Barbara and the neighboring communities is mindful of the tragedies and continues to come together as a community to help those affected. As the community of hard-hit Montecito grieves and continues to heal, it is aware that it has changed. The San Ysidro Ranch was damaged in the mudflow in the early hours of January 9 and is currently closed. It is hoping to reopen sometime in the future. It will take time to restore Montecito, and homeowners are planning to rebuild their homes or remodel them after extensive water and mud damage. The spirits still linger along the various roads such as Hot Springs Road and Coast Village Road.

The Montecito Inn reopened after the extensive mud damage it had received in the underground parking structure and its first floor. The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara reported that it sustained water damage and some mud damage to the grounds, the tennis courts and a few of the guest rooms. It remained closed for five months, and Ty Warner, the owner, continued to pay his six hundred employees during the closure. Now there are new tennis courts, newly landscaped gardens and renovations, and remodeling was done within the hotel after the water damage. The Four Seasons Biltmore in Santa Barbara reopened on June 1, 2018, with much fanfare and support. Ty Warner also owns San Ysidro Ranch.

Spirits and apparitions continue to manifest themselves along the beach, especially on foggy nights. Many people who lost their lives were ripped from their beds in their sleep as the wall of mud, debris, huge boulders and trees swept through. Many who died were not in an evacuation zone.

The claim is that the Thomas Fire caused the debris flow as a result of heavy rain, the hills were vulnerable after the fire as all the vegetation was burned and the soil was in a weakened state.

VENTURA AFFECTED BY THE THOMAS FIRE’S DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

The community of Ventura suffered heavily from the Thomas Fire as more than six hundred homes were burned. The people of Ventura have also united and come together to help those who lost all of their belongings in the fire. Kevin Costner and his band, Modern West, held a benefit concert to assist the people who were affected by the fire. Many groups also assisted, as did the American Red Cross, United Way, the Salvation Army, Agency on Aging, Catholic Charities and more. Santa Paula, where the fire originated, was also affected, as were the communities of Fillmore and Ojai. Everyone is assisting one another during the rebuilding process. Agencies step in to help those who had no insurance or who were renters and lost all their possessions. The rebuilding is a way to rise up from adversity—to rise up from the ashes stronger than before. Whole communities are rising up and are transformed into stronger cities with open and loving hearts.

JAMES DEAN’S APPARITION ON

HIGHWAY 46 AND HIS CAR’S CURSE

DOES JAMES DEAN SPEAK FROM THE WORLD BEYOND?

The college friends were curious about visiting lots of haunted places as they made their journey to Paso Robles and the wine country. Emma told the girls what her grandmother had told her—that James Dean was a heartthrob in the early 1950s and that he was so young when he died in that horrible car accident. The girls drove twenty miles out of town toward the location of the crash site on Highway 46 and Highway 41. They located the James Dean Memorial and parked their car so they could walk around the area. They took photos of the memorial, which is wrapped around a tree.

On September 30, 1955, James Dean was traveling west on State Route 46 on his way to race his new Porsche Spyder at the Salinas, California Airport. His car mechanic, Rolf Wutherich, was riding with him. A San Luis Obispo student by the name of Donald Turnupseed was approaching in the opposite direction in his 1950 Ford. As he tried to make a turn, he did not see Dean’s gray car as dusk was upon them. The two cars collided. James Dean was killed instantly. People still pay homage to Dean to this day, as evidenced by the flowers and notes left at the exact location where the fatal accident occurred. A man and his wife approached the young women and explained to them that they were avid Dean fans and had come to see for themselves if this site was really haunted. They walked around just listening to the stillness during lulls in the traffic. The sweet lady offered the girls some chocolate candy bars she had in the car, and she told the girls that it was a distant uncle who had talked to Dean when he filled up with gas at Blackwell’s before his fatal journey. Her uncle mentioned that James had received a speeding ticket near Bakersfield and was warned not to drive that car too fast. His mechanic also told him to slow